February 2011 Paranormal Underground

February 2011 Paranormal Underground

You can purchase paper copies of Paranormal Underground magazine via a Publish-on-Demand option by visiting http://paranormalunderground.magcloud.com/. At Paranormal Underground, our mission is to publish the highest-quality magazine for our readers. We strive to keep you updated on news from the paranormal world, as well as tackle the topics that most interest paranormal enthusiasts, researchers, and investigators. We hope you’ll find our publication entertaining and informative. To visit our Websites, go to www.paranormalunderground.net and www.ghostknightmedia.com.

Paranormal Underground
Volume 4, Issue 2 February 2011
�
TGAPH.tv's "The GhostBox Kid" Phil Summers
Also Inside:
� � � � � Haunted Toys: Fun & Games Case Files: The Moore Family Haunting Tales From the Haunted Heathman Hotel The Haunted Trinity Institute February 2011 Tahoe Tessie the Lake Monster
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My name is Thomas "Mr.T" Perryman I am an Ex-Law Enforcement Officer and Private Investigator that will now concentrate on my examinations of the Paranormal and Crypto Zoology Mysteries.
Through my vast experience and resources I am performing field investigations on these subjects to provide a different approach than others. I have great stories from Past Cases and Current Cases to share. My discussions are Entertaining as well as informative. I have written many Books, appeared in Horror films, and host a Radio Show. I am available for Convention Bookings and Appearances. If you have any questions please contact me personally. I look forward to your next Event and we are all on the Quest to find the Answers!
Paranormal Underground February 2011
Phone (407) 416-4807
2
E-Mail flmvp@hotmail.com
Inside This Issue
FEATURES
INVESTIGATOR SPOTLIGHT
TGAPH.tv's "The GhostBox Kid" Phil Summers 10
ISSUE SNAPSHOT
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
Frank Joseph -- Unearthing Ancient America: The Lost Sagas of Conquerors, Castaways, and Scoundrels 14
SPECIAL REPORT
Haunted Toys: Fun & Games 16
CASE FILES OF THE UNKNOWN
Haunted Sites Kids in the Hall: The Trinity Institute Cryptids & Mythological Creatures Tessie the Lake Monster 20 24
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
Ghost Hunter Case Files: The Moore Family Haunting Tales From the Haunted Heathman Hotel 28 34
DEPARTMENTS
Contributors Ghost Hunter Comic Publisher's Letter Calendar of Events Reader Profile: DJ Kemp (Drake) Review of the Month: Paranormal Technology 4 5 6 8 36 38
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Contributors
Heidi Ann
Heidi Ann has been a paranormal enthusiast since childhood when she had her own paranormal encounter. Her personal experience led her to question the world around her. Heidi is a mother of three sons, works as a special education paraprofessional in a middle school, and loves watching television shows and reading books on the paranormal. real beasts, and anything remotely paranormal. Paul also designs Web graphics and animations. You can visit his MySpace page at www.myspace. com/zzyzxparanormal. expertise, Joseph devotes most of his time and effort toward raising prominent awareness of issues and cases pertaining directly or relating to the paranormal and the unknown. He specializes in spirit communication and provides P.R.O.O.F. members with techniques to conduct investigations and communicate with those who have departed. The team's Website can be found at http://www.teamproof.com/.
Robb Demarest
Robb, a native of Albany, New York, joined the Ghost Hunters International team after three years with Florida Ghost Team, an affiliate of The Atlantic Paranormal Society. Robb's responsibilities on the team ranged from research, technology management, and client relations, to his current position as assistant director. He has also participated in speaking engagements on behalf of the group. The evasive nature of paranormal investigation fueled Robb's desire to become involved in the field at an early age. He found it fascinating, he says, because it "was like reading a mystery that had the last page cut out." During his time as the lead investigator of the Ghost Hunters International team, Robb pushed the boundaries of current knowledge in the field and approached paranormal phenomena with open-minded skepticism. With a background in psychology and business administration, Robb has previously worked as an ESL teacher and works as a professional tutor. A practicing martial-artist, he also has a passion for traveling.
Terri J. Garofalo
Terri is a paranormal investigator, as well as the artist and writer behind Entities-R-Us, Ghost Hunter Comic. She's a freelance artist, illustrator, and designer in Hyde Park, New York. You can find her work on www. entities-r-us.com, or contact Terri at terri@entities-r-us.com.
Ursula Bielski
Ursula is the founder of Chicago Hauntings, Inc. A historian, author, and parapsychology enthusiast, she has been writing and lecturing about Chicago's supernatural folklore and the paranormal for nearly 20 years, and is recognized as a leading authority on the Chicago region's ghostlore and cemetery history. She is the author of six popular and critically acclaimed books on the same subjects, which have sold in excess of 100,000 copies. Ursula has been featured in numerous television documentaries, including productions by the A&E Network, History Channel, Learning Channel, Travel Channel, and PBS.
Cheryl Knight
Cheryl is editorin-chief of Paranormal Underground magazine, director of Publications & Editing Services for Ghost Knight Media, and producer of Paranormal Underground Radio. She has more than 20 years of experience as a professional writer and editor, and has published hundreds of articles on topics ranging from advanced technology to paranormal investigation. Cheryl's previous magazine experience includes roles as senior and managing editor for several business publications.
Paul Bottini
Paul has written several eBooks about haunted sites, UFO sightings, and cryptid lore. When not writing, Paul travels the countryside in search of UFOs, hotspots of high strangeness, ethe-
Joseph Gallant
Joseph is the founder and lead investigator for the Connecticut Paranormal Researchers Of Odd Findings (P.R.O.O.F.). With more than eight years of paranormal knowledge and
Michelle M. Pillow
Michelle is an award-winning author writing in many romance fic-
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Ghost Hunter Comic
tion genres, including futuristic and paranormal. A skeptical believer, she has a fascination with anything paranormal. She has a photography degree, is currently working toward finishing a degree in history, and is the co-owner of www.TheRavenBooks.com. Readers can contact Michelle through her Website, www.michellepillow.com.
egon, where he was born and raised. He currently works the graveyard shift at The Heathman Hotel. He has come to find that the hotel is haunted.
Chad Wilson
A writer of articles and fiction, Chad is the publisher of Paranormal Underground magazine and a partner for Ghost Knight Media. He has parlayed his avid interest in the paranormal into a top-notch publication and Website -- www. ParanormalUnderground.net. Chad has investigated with East Tennessee Paranormal Research Society and counts Waverly Hills, the Villisca Axe Murder House, the Queen Anne Hotel, the Queen Mary, and private residences among his investigations.
Ryan Tackitt
Ryan is the founder of Paranormal Investigators of Central Texas (PICT). He is a certified paramedic working in Waco, Texas, and a part-time EMS instructor at the local community college. He created PICT after meeting with coworkers who believed in the paranormal. Together, Ryan and his friends educate, investigate, and help people who have paranormal problems. Ryan has had many personal paranormal experiences over his lifetime and realizes that science can only explain so much.
Rob St.Helen
Rob has been a paranormal investigator for more than five years. He had his first paranormal experience at the age of 11. Rob is a member of West Coast Ghost Hunters, based out of Portland Or-
Are you interested in contributing to Paranormal Underground? E-mail editor@paranormalunderground.net.
February 2011
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Publisher's Letter
Paranormal Underground�
Volume 4, Issue 2 February 2011
www.ParanormalUnderground.net
No Regrets
By Chad Wilson, Publisher
EDITORIAL
Publisher
Publisher@paranormalunderground.net
Chad Wilson
Editor-in-Chief
Editor@paranormalunderground.net
Cheryl Knight
T
Managing Editor
KarenFrazier@paranormalunderground.net
Karen Frazier
Science Editor
J.D. Harrison
Proofreader
Heidi Ann
Contributors
Heidi Ann Ursula Bielski Paul Bottini Robb Demarest Joseph Gallant Terri J. Garofalo Cheryl Knight Michelle M. Pillow Rob St.Helen Ryan Tackitt Chad Wilson
Copyright � 2008-2011 -- Paranormal Underground� is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. As such, Paranormal Underground and its contents are the property of its owners. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This publication and all content within this publication may not be copied, quoted, distributed, modified, or reprinted without the express written consent of Paranormal Underground magazine. Paranormal Underground magazine is a publication of Ghost Knight Media, LLC. The GhostBox KidTM is a trademark of TGAPH.tv. All rights reserved.
he paranormal will be taking a back seat to real-world events in my publisher's letter this month. I'll be talking about events that will have a lasting impact on the world and its politics. If you don't want to read about politics, please skip over this month's publisher's letter and move right on into our paranormal content, beginning on page 8. I know this topic isn't for everyone. In Egypt these past weeks, we saw protests, both peaceful and violent, that contributed to a lasting change in the country's government and way of life. I often wonder what it would take to push a culture to the point of rebellion against its rulers. My understanding with Egypt is that a lot of what happened was caused by the current worldwide financial crisis and the frustrations created by such, in addition to repression in the country's ruling regime. Someone has to suffer when there is an economic downturn and that usually turns out to be the workers and unemployed.
I am surprised that there has not been more of an outcry in our country for the disparity between those who have and those who have not. But I guess the working class has not been pushed to the brink of rebellion like elsewhere in the world. Then again, our standard of living is far better than most places abroad. We take a lot of things for granted that others struggle to attain each day. Even a commodity such as clean water, easy to come by in the States, is hard to find in some countries. I guess you would have to travel overseas to see how different it can be to truly appreciate what we have here, mainly our freedoms. Freedoms we often think are a part of normal, everyday life. And while they might be normal for us, they are not normal for everybody. Our freedom allows us to speak our mind unmolested by fears of being persecuted for our views, as long as they don't harm or take away the rights of others. We have freedom to worship God, or not, as may be the
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case. Freedom to pursue our hearts' desires, whether that be education, expression, or what have you. The freedoms we have, though costly at times, are our greatest commodity as a civilization operating in, what can be at times, a barbaric world. This brings us back to Egypt and their ongoing struggle to find a new path. If I had to say one thing to those who fight for freedom, it is this: No regrets. While Egypt struggles in these days of uncertainty, its people should not regret their movement for peace and freedom. The push for freedom is a hard-fought battle, and even after attaining freedom, we must be ever vigilant against those who would seek to take it back. Sometimes we must
struggle against tyranny and oppression, for in that struggle we can attain the ultimate expression of freedom, the right to choose how we will be governed. At this time, it looks as though the people of Egypt have won out over a dictatorship that has held onto power for too long, in my opinion. My one hope is that in the process they do not fall to extremism but stay steady on the road to greater personal freedom. Much like a small group of colonies fought against an oppressive government in 1776, so too have the Egyptian protesters stayed the course. It won't be an easy road, but the outcome will be worth the fight. No regrets!
Paranormal Underground�
Volume 4, Issue 2 February 2011
www.ParanormalUnderground.net
ART
Art Director
Chad Wilson
Design and Layout
Cheryl Knight
On the Cover
Phil Summers (Photo by Scott Bellefeuille)
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Interested in Advertising in Paranormal Underground Magazine, on our Website, or in our Podcasts? Call 1-714-646-4197 or e-mail: editor@paranormalunderground.net
Send comments and letters to: editor@paranormalunderground.net.
February 2011
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Calendar of Events
February 18�19
Haunted America West Coast Conference Scottish Rite Event Center San Diego, California www.americanspookshows.com/ west.html
February 23�27
International UFO Congress Fort McDowell Resort & Casino Scottsdale, Arizona http://ufocongress.com
February 25�27
MystiCon Holiday Inn Roanoke, Virginia www.mysticon-va.com
www.avalancheofspirits.com
March 11�12
ParaCon Oddfellows Building Liberty, Missouri http://paranormaladventuresusa. com/paracon/
http://texasghostshow.eventbrite. com/
June 10�11
March 24�27
March 11�13
EPICCON The Cavalier Hotel Virginia Beach, Virginia http://epiccon.com
Phenomenology 103 Eisenhower Hotels Conference Center & Resort Gettysburg, Pennsylvania www.phenomevents.com
Haunted America Midwest Conference Illinois College Jacksonville, Illinois www.americanspookshows.com/midwest.html
Sept. 30�Oct. 2
April 1�2
March 12
Saint Mary's ParaCon Old Saint Mary's Hospital Virginia City, California www.saintmarysparacon.com
VaParanormalQuest Holiday Inn Lynchburg, Virginia www.vaparaquest.com
G.H.O.S.T.S. Paranormal & Wellness Conference & Expo Club Heidelberg St. Catharines, Ontario www.ghostsconference.com
April 1�3
October 8�9
March 18�20
1st Annual UFO Reykawvik Summit Liberty Hall Lawrence, Kansas www.ozufo.net
Haunting for Hope: A Paranormal Gathering Clear Creek Community Club Silverdale, Washington www.blackwolf-paranormal.com/ haunting-for-hope.php
Central Texas Paranormal Conference Norris Conference Center Austin, Texas www.ctparacon.com
October 28�30
March 18�20
June 3�5
The Texas Ghost Show Beaumont Civic Center Beaumont, Texas
GhoStock Key West Details Coming Soon http://ghostock.com
The Canadian-American Horror Paranormal Conference The Old Sarnia Jail and Gallows, The Super 8 Motel Sarnia, Ontario, Canada http://www.canamparafest.com
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Investigator Spotlight
TGAPH.tv's "The GhostBox Kid"
Phil Summers
By Cheryl Knight
S
ince childhood, Phil Summers has been infatuated with the paranormal. Born in the historic and haunted city of Charleston, South Carolina, Phil first started exploring paranormal phenomena by roaming around at local graveyards and cemeteries. "My interest in the paranormal stems from my younger days as a child," Phil said. "Being the only kid in my area at the time, I had interests in the nearby cemeteries in my neighborhood. I conducted my first investigation at the age of 12 at a local cemetery using only an old tape recorder." Phil was influenced even further by his grandfather's interest in physics and the science of the known and unknown. "He really influenced my desire to seek the truth behind this field," Phil added. Phil's studies have included all aspects of the paranormal, including hauntings, cryptozooology, UFOs, and myths and legends from around the western hemisphere, including the deserts of Peru, the Mayan and Aztec pyramids, and the Bermuda Triangle. Phil uses ghost boxes during investigations, earning him the nickname The GhostBox Kid. The former lead investigator of a Charleston, South Carolina-based
Phil Summers has investigated the deserts of Peru, Mayan and Aztec pyramids, and the Bermuda Triangle. His primary goal is to prove that the paranormal does exist.
paranormal team, Phil now investigates with The Great American Phenomena Hunt (TGAPH) team. Read on to find out more about Phil Summers! ***** Q: What types of paranormal phenomena interest you the most?
Phil: The type of phenomena that interests me the most are EVPs, or electronic voice phenomena. Q: Tell us about any personal paranormal experiences you've had. Phil: The most memorable paranormal experience I've had, and one that has impacted me the most,
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happened a few years ago. I was sitting in the living room, and out of nowhere, we heard screams coming from within the house that had no possible source. This very experience is what made me the investigator I am today. Q: Talk about the groups you've investigated with and what you're doing now. Phil: I ran an investigation team based out of Charleston, South Carolina, called Dark Days Paranormal. We mainly investigated historic locations throughout the state. I've also investigated with members of Ghost Hunters International. Now I am an investigator for TGAPH. Q: What is your primary role while out on an investigation? Phil: My primary role on TGAPH team is investigator, dare devil, and the guy not afraid to go into the vault of a morgue alone. Q: What are your primary goals for investigating the paranormal? Phil: My primary goals for investigating the paranormal is to prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that the paranormal exists. To do this, I try and capture the most compelling pieces of scientific evidence. Q: What types of cases have you investigated? Phil: I have investigated everything from hauntings to natural phenomena, cryptozoology, and myths and urban legends. Q: What methodologies do you employ during investigations? Phil: My methodologies during investigations stem from a scientific prospective of experimenting with different pieces of technology using a
Phil is an investigator with The Great American Phenomena Hunt (TGAPH), which will spotlight diverse teams and investigators from across the globe. Pictured above are TGAPH members Phil Summers, Barry Doyle, and Jeff Grunow. (Photo by Scott Bellefeuille.)
controlled scientific method. Q: What are the most common types of equipment you use on investigations? Phil: The most common pieces of equipment I use on investigations are a Trifield Meter, a modified 12-587 handheld radio, an Olympus ws400, and a Sony HD Handycam with custom IR and red LED lights. Q: Whose work do you respect most in the paranormal field and why? Phil: Brad and Barry Klinge are some of my biggest influences in the paranormal field. Q: You've been given the nickname The GhostBox Kid. How did you get that nickname? Phil: The name GhostBox Kid oddly enough stems from my tour with Nonpoint. I was the youngest one on tour with people ranging from their
mid-30s to early 40's. Because there was a major age gap, they always called me kid. Eventually, while on tour, the guys found out that I was a paranormal investigator and were quite intrigued with the subject. Having no other equipment but a ghostbox and a digital voice recorder, I showed them how to use the device at The Rave in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Eventually, it leaked out to the crowds at our shows, and whenever I would make my stage presences, the crowds would always chant "GhostBox Kid." Thus, you have the origins of the name GhostBox Kid. Q: What are ghostboxes, how do they work, and how do you use them during investigations? Phil: The ghostbox is a modified analog handheld radio that constantly scans between the major AM or FM frequencies to create a constant stream of white noise.
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Investigator Spotlight
ception of the paranormal I have encountered is that all ghosts or said hauntings are considered demonic. Mainly, the more religious people have this concept that everything paranormal is of the devil, when in fact its not. There is natural phenomena going on, and we have the technology to prove its existence. I find a major issue is the willingness of some people to except this. Q: What have been the most significant EVPs you've captured during investigations? Phil: One of the most significant EVPs I ever captured during an investigation was at a cemetery outside my neighborhood. I captured an evil voices, as well as different pitches of screams throughout the white noise of the of the recording. Q: What has been your best video and photographic evidence caught to date? Phil: My best video is from a graveyard that a priest asked me to investigate behind his church. You can find the video, called "A Captured Apparition," on my YouTube page here: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=XkM0KLJLyN8. Q: What would our readers be surprised to find out about you? Phil: I am a mechanic in the Air Force, and I maintan one of the largest cargo planes in the world -- the C-17. I also have a love for music. I play the piano and the guitar. I traveled with a band called Nonpoint, based out of Fort Myers, Florida. I have a radio show on www. liveparanormal.com, called Paranormal Highvoltage Radio, featuring some of the best and biggest names in the music industry telling their ghost story. Also check out TGAPH
Phil's methodologies during investigations stem from a scientific prospective of experimenting with different pieces of technology using a controlled scientific method. He most commonly uses a Trifield Meter, a modified 12-587 handheld radio, an Olympus ws400, and a Sony HD Handycam with custom IR and red LED lights on investigations.
The theory behind this device is that the generated constant stream of white noise scanning through the various frequencies somehow increases the chances of hits via either audio matrixing or straight through the white noise. To use the ghostbox, you would constantly scan through the frequencies, ask questions, and hope for some good responses. Q: What is the best evidence you've collected using a ghostbox? Phil: I conducted one of my first field tests of this device out in a cemetery where my deceased uncle rests. I was able to hear his voice as it was in life through this device, as well as audio-matrixed words that were more than just coincidental. Q: What is most important for readers to know about the use
of ghostboxes during paranormal investigations? Phil: The important thing to remember when using this device is that its not all technical; a lot of it is how you present yourself over the device. Q: Tell us about some of the more interesting locations you've investigated. Phil: One of the most interesting locations I've investigated would have to be at the Mayan pyramids in Costa Maya. I've also investigated places like The Rave in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; the USS North Carolina Battleship; the Old City Jail in Charleston; the Bermuda Triangle; and many other awesome locations. Q: Talk about common misconceptions about the paranormal field you've encountered? Phil: The most common miscon-
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Radio on www.liveparanormal.com. Q: Tell us about TGAPH. Phil: TGAPH is not just about ghosts or hauntings, but anything that falls within the classification of the phenomena realm: UFO's, cryptozoology, urban legends, and myths. The crew consists of Jeff Grunow, Barry Doyle, and me, plus our phenomena crew. The show will feature different teams from all over the country with different techniques and styles. What you see in our investigations is real time, uncut, and raw. Q: How did the show come about? Phil: TGAPH idea first started in 1987 by Jeff Grunow. The TV show idea came from the missing pieces that you see in a lot of paranormal television programs today.
Q: When can viewers expect to see the show on air? Phil: Expect the first episode to air soon on www.tgaph.tv. Q: What words of wisdom would you offer amateur ghost hunters investigating for the first time? Phil: Make sure you perform your research accurately. Too many stories that I'm hearing about nowadays involve amateur, first-time investigators being injured or killed while investigating. Make sure you have the proper permission before you investigate a location. Trespassing is illegal. You don't have to have the best and most expensive equipment in the world to perform investigations. With a little know-how and engineering skills, anyone can conduct an investigation.
Q: What sites do you have on your wish list to investigate? Phil: I've always wanted to investigate the Winchester House and Alcatraz Island in California. Q: What investigations or events are coming up for you? Phil: I have a couple events coming up, including filming for TGAPH. In March, I will be in Tombstone, Arizona, as well as in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, with the Klinge brothers at Phenomenology 103. *****
To learn more about Phil Summers and The Great American Phenomena Hunt, visit www.tgaph.tv or the team's Facebook page: TGAPH.tv (The Great American Phenomena Hunt).
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Author Spotlight
Unearthing Ancient America:
The Lost Sagas of Conquerors, Castaways, and Scoundrels
Book by Frank Joseph
Interview by Michelle M. Pillow, www.michellepillow.com
W
hen people think of U.S. history, they often talk about the Civil War or the Old West. But what about that time before recorded history? The mysterious people and cultures that populated the Earth before Columbus sailed the ocean blue? Unearthing Ancient America: The Lost Sagas of Conquerors, Castaways, and Scoundrels explores the lives of these people and the ancient mysteries that surround them. Frank Joseph, author of Unearthing Ancient America, has published several novels on lost civilizations, including more books about the lost civilization of Atlantis than any other author in history. His 24 published titles about ancient history, sacred sites, and synchronicity have been released in as many foreign language editions around the world. ***** Q: You've written several books, The Atlantis Encyclopedia, Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America, and Opening the Ark of the Covenant. What inspired you to write about these topics? Frank: I always wanted to know the truth behind these enigmas and feel there may be some subconscious past-life energies at work. Q: Have you always had a
statuette find its way into a prehistoric burial mound in Illinois? Is Minnesota's Norse rune stone an authentic 15th Century artifact? Did the Romans operate ships capable of making Transatlantic crossings to America? Q: Why are they shunned as too heretical for consideration by conventional scholars? Frank: Mainstream archaeologists are indoctrinated with the academic commandment, "Thou shalt not have any overseas visitors to America before Columbus!"
Author Frank Joseph's titles also include The Atlantis Encyclopedia and Opening the Ark of the Covenant.
Q: Is archaeology a science? Frank: Archaeology is a "humanity" that its practitioners are supposed to apply scientific methods. Archaeological conclusions are cultural interpretations, not scientific facts. Q: Why is this important when studying Ancient America? Frank: It requires us to keep an open mind, as opposed to conventional archaeologists. Q: In history classes, students are often taught that Columbus was the first European to "discover" America, but I've heard evidence has been found that in fact Vikings were the first. Which, if either, is true?
fascination with history and unsolved mysteries? Frank: As long as I can remember. Q: What myths or legends inspired you? Frank: All of them, because myth is the higher, metaphysical language of mankind. Q: Specifically in Unearthing Ancient America, you tackle a broad variety of archaeological enigmas. What are some of these enigmas? Frank: How did an ancient Egyptian
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Frank: Both. The Viking discovery of America was lost by Columbus' time. Q: What are some of the significant events missing from most school history books? Frank: Upper Michigan's 5,000-yearold copper mining industry; the Viking exploration of North America; the Keltic contribution to pre-Columbian America; etc. Q: How did those pre-Columbian explorers reach the new world and for what purpose? Frank: In purpose-built ships to escape persecution, for minerals (especially raw copper), on missionary quests, exploration, colonization, etc. Q: What secrets have the Giants of the California Desert preserved for a thousand years? Frank: California's "giants" are colossal line-drawings of anthropomorphic and animal figures created by a sophisticated people some 900 years ago. Q: Has a Smithsonian photographer discovered an ancient city in the Grand Canyon? Frank: Yes, Mr. Kincaid. Q: You wrote Opening the Ark of the Covenant. Many people automatically associate the ark with the Indiana Jones movie. Is this a true representation of the Ark? Frank: The movie has as much bearing on the truth as Walt Disney's Dumbo has on zoology. Q: What exactly was the Ark of the Covenant, and was it a real object or a mythical construct? Frank: A vessel containing a large quartz crystal capable of transmuting mechanical energy into electrical energy. It is real.
Q: Does it still exist? Frank: Several versions still exist in various parts of the world. The most recent sightings were in Germany, 1945, and Tennessee, 1964. Q: Where is the Ark of the Covenant today? Frank: Quebec, Japan, Bavaria, Tibet, etc. Q: What significance does the Ark of the Covenant have for our 21st Century world?
Q: Who were the Knights Templars and what was their relationship with the Ark? Frank: 12th and 13th Century followers of St. Bernard. They were the Ark's discoverers and guardians. Q: Why do you think readers, and society in general, are fascinated by the paranormal and the unexplained? Frank: 1. Because institutionalized religion has failed (the true meaning behind Nietzsche's declaration, "God is dead"), and 2. All human beings are born with a spiritual instinct that is still seeking fulfillment. Q: What are your favorite paranormal shows, movies, and books? Frank: The books of Robert E. Howard and Edgar Allan Poe; cable TV's Psychic Detectives. Q: Do you believe in the supernatural? Frank: "Supernatural" refers to anything narrow-minded persons are unable to comprehend outside the strict limitations of their immediate, physical existence. Things are either natural or unnatural; that is all. Q: Or are you a skeptic? Frank: I strive for a genuine scientific approach; namely, always keeping an open mind, refraining from absolute judgments, but endeavoring to make conditional conclusions. Q: Any new books coming up? Frank: Gods of the Runes released in fall. ***** Thank you for joining us Frank! Frank's titles "Unearthing Ancient America" and "Atlantis and 2012" are available online and in bookstores.
Illustrated with 30 original photographs, Unearthing Ancient America rewrites the textbooks by unveiling the lost prehistory of our country.
Frank: Presently, it is only a myth, because it (they) is (are) concealed. If made known and its function disclosed, it could alter the entire course of modern history for good or evil, depending upon the intentions of its 21st Century users -- not a good prospect, given humanity's present savagery. Q: What powers was the Ark supposed to possess? Frank: Transformational.
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Special Report
Haunted Toys: Fun & Games
By Ursula Bielski
A
handful of years ago, I was searching for something on the Internet auction site eBay and came across a selection of wares under the category "haunted items." Intrigued, I opened the list and found an interesting assortment of jewelry, furniture, mirrors, paintings, and -- fascinatingly -- toys. Most prevalent were so-called haunted dolls, especially porcelain or china ones, whose owners claimed that they moved from room to room, talked, or even brought bad luck upon their owners. My eye fixed on one listing in particular, too bizarre to avoid: a haunted, talking Pee Wee Herman doll with a pull string. The seller, a single mom from some little town somewhere in Middle America, had moved with her small son into a crumbling, old home and had found the doll in a trunk of toys in the basement. Her son immediately grabbed it and refused to give it up, so she let him play with it, though the "talking" function no longer worked. But while the doll and the boy were at first inseparable, it wasn't long before the son began trying to throw the doll away. When questioned about these at-
ed presence of the "bad man." Against my better judgment, I bid on the doll and won it. By the time the package arrived, I had worked myself up into quite a frenzy over it. My own daughters were quite small at the time, and I wondered if anything untoward would ensue. My Haunted Pee Wee Doll After about two weeks, absolutely nothing frightening had happened, except that the doll's pull string was broken, so when pulled, Pee Wee would drawl a string of gurgly, masculine-toned jibberish, vaguely evocative of a scene or two from The Exorcist. I considered sending the doll to demonologist John Zaffis -- nephew of the legendary, late "demon hunter" Ed Warren -- who collects (and "binds" or spiritually de-activates) such evil objects for his museum of haunted objects on the East Coast. I ended up deciding, however, that Pee Wee probably wasn't worth the postage. I decided to throw him out, reasoning that, if he mysteriously returned, I would ship him away for Zaffis to deal with. But while my allegedly haunted doll wasn't all it was advertised to be, that is not the case with some others that have made their less-than-cuddly
"Intrigued by the wave of haunted items available on eBay, I decided to buy a haunted Pee Wee Herman doll."
tempts, he claimed that "the bad man" was bothering him. Further questioning revealed that this "bad man" seemed to be an entity attached to the doll itself, and that despite attempts to throw away the doll, it always reappeared in the boy's room, along with the unwant-
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mark on the lives of their owners. John Zaffis' inspiration to collect paranormal objects comes from his famous uncle and aunt -- demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren -- who founded the nation's first museum of haunted objects: the Warren Occult Museum in Connecticut. There, still today, lives one of the nastiest dolls on record: the evil and infamous Annabelle. Anabelle the Evil Raggedy Ann Doll Annabelle is an oversized Raggedy Ann doll who belonged to a young Hartford nurse named Donna. Donna's mother gave her the doll as a novel birthday present, but not long after, the doll seemed to start moving through the apartment by itself. Ed and Lorraine Warren document the case on their Web archives (edandlorrainewarren.com), sharing the chilling details of one of their most talked-about cases. Donna and her roommate, Angie, first noticed the strange activity when they'd arrive home from work to find the doll in a place where it hadn't been left. Each morning, after making her bed, Donna would place the doll in the middle, with its arms out to the sides and its legs straight in front, against the pillows. However, when the nurse would return in the evening, she would find the doll's
was coming into the locked apartment and playing pranks, so they began to rig the apartment in order to validate their theory. They taped the windows and doors and even rearranged rugs so that an obvious trace would be left by the intruder, but nothing was ever disturbed. A Case of Demonic Possession? Things with Annabelle turned sinister one evening when the women returned from work to find what looked like blood on the back of Annabelle's hand -- and three drops of the same substance on her dress. This event led the roommates to believe that the apartment, or the doll, was haunted, and they contacted a medium to try to communicate with the spirit in question. Donna told the Warrens that a little girl had died on the property. She was seven years old, and her name was Annabelle Higgins. The Annabelle spirit told the medium that she played in the fields long ago before the apartments were built. They were happy times for her. Annabelle went on to explain that because everyone around the apartments were older and only concerned with their jobs, there was no one she could relate to ... except Donna and Angie. Annabelle felt that they would be able to understand her. That's why she began moving the rag doll. All Annabelle wanted was to be loved, and so she asked if she could stay with Donna and Angie and "move into" the doll. The girls said yes. Ed and Lorraine Warren eventually flew to the girls' apartment to investigate the case, which, according to the Warrens, was not a haunting at all, but a case of full-blown demonic possession. The Warrens believed that the demon had used the story of Annabelle to pull at the young nurses' heartstrings to gain
Legendary paranormal researcher Lorraine Warren holds the evil Annabelle doll. (Photo courtesy of Lorraine Warren and Tony Spera.)
As time went on, the doll became more active. Though it was always left on Donna's bed in the morning, the young women would come home to find the doll sitting on the living room sofa. Once, they found the doll kneeling on the living room floor, though when the girls themselves tried to get the doll to kneel, it flopped over. Even more chilling were the messages the doll would leave. Incredibly, the women began to find notes around the house, written in pencil on parchment paper and in
The Warrens believed that a demon inhabited Annabelle.
arms or legs crossed or folded in a number of different positions. When Donna started deliberately changing the doll's morning position to see if it was really moving, she would come home at night to find the position had, indeed, been altered. a child's handwriting. The notes insisted, "Help Us" or "Help Lou." Angie's boyfriend and the girls swore there was not even a pencil in the house, let alone parchment paper. After the notes began, the nurses became convinced that someone
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Special Report
entry into the doll and, ultimately, their lives and minds. Angie's boyfriend, Lou, claimed that Annabelle had "gotten into his head," so to speak, long before, and that he was plagued by bad dreams in which the doll tried to strangle him. The dreams came to bizarre fruition some time later, Lou remembered. It was about 10 or 11 o'clock at night, and Angie and Lou were reading over maps because Angie was going on a trip the next day. Everything was quiet at the time. Suddenly, the couple heard sounds in Donna's room that made them think someone had broken into the apartment. Lou quietly got up and tiptoed to the bedroom door, which was closed. He waited until the noises stopped, then carefully opened the door, reached in, and switched on the light. Nobody was there ... except, the Annabelle doll was tossed on the floor in a corner. Lou went in alone and walked over to the doll to see if anything unusual had happened. But as he got close to the doll, he got the distinct impression that somebody was behind him. When Lou spun around, he suddenly screamed and clutched his chest. Upon reaching him, Angie found his shirt covered in blood and, underneath, a series of deep scratch marks -- almost like burns -- on his chest. Holy Intervention After the attack on Lou, Donna sought help from an Episcopalian priest who, while startled by the story, believed the young people's reports and contacted a second priest who had extensive knowledge of spirit possession. The Warrens asked Donna to have this priest join them in the apartment to perform a simple exorcism, convinced that the active nature of the phenomena indicated that it was demonic in origin and that, given a bit more time, the three young people would have been seriously injured or even killed. When the priest arrived, Ed Warren explained his theory about of the interstate, just in case. Sure enough, it wasn't long into their journey when the brakes and steering of their nearly new car began to malfunction. After several close calls with disaster, Ed pulled over and dowsed the doll with holy water. No further incidents occurred on that trip. Clearly, however, the spirit had not been fully separated from the doll. When the Warrens reached home, Ed placed Annabelle in his home office, sitting in a chair beside his desk. On several occasions, Ed claimed the doll had levitated or risen off the chair on its own, and that it soon began moving from room to room, as it had done in Donna and Angie's apartment. Eventually, the Warrens placed Annabelle in their Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, in a glass case covered with warnings about the doll's malevolence. Some have not heeded the warnings, however. The museum staff recalls one afternoon when a young man visited the museum with his girlfriend and, during a tour, went up to Annabelle's case, rapped on the glass and taunted the doll, urging the entity to attack him. Ed removed the young man from the museum. An hour or so later, the young man crashed his motorcycle, dying in the accident. His girlfriend lived to tell that the last thing he did before suddenly veering fatally into a tree was to make a joke about Annabelle. *****
The Warrens placed Annabelle in their Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, in a glass case covered with warnings about the doll's malevolence.
the events and convinced the priest to recite the exorcism prayers and to bless Donna, Angie, and Lou. Afterward, Lorraine Warren -- a prominent clairvoyant -- declared that the home and the young people were free of the demon. To ensure that Annabelle would no longer be a problem, the Warrens took her with them when they returned to their home in Massachusetts. As a precaution, Ed placed the doll in the back seat of the car and elected to drive home on surface roads rather than at the high speeds
Reprinted, with permission of the publisher, from "There's Something Under the Bed: Children's Experiences With the Paranormal" � 2010 Ursula Bielski. Published by New Page Books a division of Career Press, Pompton Plains, NJ. 800-2273371. All rights reserved.
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February 2011 Paranormal Underground
19
Case Files of the Unknown: Haunted Sites
The Trinity Institute
By Ryan Tackitt, Paranormal Investigators of Central Texas
Kids in the Hall:
B
ack in October 2010, my group, Paranormal Investigators of Central Texas, traveled to Tehuacana (pronounced Too-walk-a-nee), Texas, to investigate an old college. Trinity University first opened in 1869 before moving to another city in 1902. Later in 1902, Westminster College opened its doors until 1950, when it closed. In recent years, the property became known as the Trinity Institute and caters to groups and individuals as a retreat. Only three buildings remain: the Louisiana Hall, the Texas Hall, and the barracks. The Louisiana Hall is a three-story dorm building, while the Texas Hall is where classes were taught and service was held. Tehuacana is in Central Texas, just north of Mexia. The Louisiana Hall and the barracks are available for rent, while the Texas Hall is open as a museum. My Experiences at the Trinity Institute A few years ago, my family rented the Louisiana Hall for a weekend so we could have a family reunion. We have used the place a couple of times, but I never managed to go out there until the last time back in 2007. I only stayed out there for the day, but came away from the place with feelings that made me believe that my
Pictured above: An exterior shot of the Louisiana Hall at the Trinity Institute. Paranormal Investigators of Central Texas recently investigated the site, which was previously home to a college and dorm.
family members were not the only ones present for the gathering. Fast forwarding to 2008 saw the creation of my paranormal group, known as PICT. We are a small group of investigators who got together because we had the same interests. Two of my sisters are in the group along with two coworkers of mine. My nephew is a junior investigator as well. This is our core group,
five people who have done the bulk of our investigations around Central Texas and one in Louisiana. Since we are a small group and still fairly new, I can honestly say our phone isn't ringing off the hook for cases. Sometimes we have to go after them. The Trinity Institute had been on my mind as the site for a potential investigation for some time. I hadn't heard of any paranormal en-
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While in the Texas Hall, investigators Ryan and Trevor snapped the shot above at left. This original picture shows a strange anomaly toward the right of the frame. In the photo above at right, Ryan examined the photo using a program called IrfanView. He adjusted the contrast, color, and brightness of the photo and was startled by the results.
counters there, but I still remember that feeling I had about not being alone. Several members in my family have had occurrences that can only be linked to Extra Sensory Perception, or ESP. So what I was feeling could be that or just something else. I was hoping it might lead to an interesting night for us all. Our Investigation Begins at Trinity Institute So in October 2010, our group of five arrived early that evening and met the caretaker of the property. We had rented the Louisiana Hall for the night to investigate. We heard a couple of stories from the caretaker that intrigued us, and he even offered to open up the Texas Hall for us to investigate as well. We jumped at this chance. Though I did wonder if it was the right decision since our group was small. Plus, we didn't have much equipment, and what we did have was going to be used in the Louisiana Hall. Everyone did a quick tour of both places before setting up equipment in the Louisiana Hall, which included three stories and a
basement. The two upper floors are dorm rooms and bathrooms, while the first floor is a large dining room and kitchen along with parlors and a small bedroom. This building still has the old fire escape chutes in the back for the kids to slide down. We set up the four-camera DVR and three Digital Audio Recorders (DARs) there. Then, using my laptop, a USB DVR, and a camera, we went to the Texas Hall and set up one camera there along with two other DARs. Once done, we went back to the command post and determined how best to conduct this investigation, we settled on two two-person groups, with one person remaining at the command post. Most of the evening went by without any encounters or problems. I have to admit that since we hadn't had an investigation in some time, we were rusty a bit. One group would tackle the Louisiana Hall, while the other would hit the Texas Hall. We switched up groups throughout the night and tried everything we could think of how to get "anything." Around 9 p.m. my nephew, Trevor, and I tried the Texas Hall.
We walked around with a digital camera and a camcorder, taking pictures and recording footage of everything we could. We walked up to the second floor, which contains the auditorium. I walked in first and started shooting off pictures; this is where I caught a picture that changed things for us that night. The auditorium is where services and plays were held during the long history of the school. On the stage is a single piano, and on the walls are the names and dates of all the plays that had been performed on the stage. We marveled at writings scribbled on the wall from the 1930s. It appeared to be a tradition there to write the cast of actors and the name of the play and dates on the wall. There were literally dozens and dozens of them written in pencil and ink. Could one of these actors never have left the building stage right? Trevor still hadn't entered the room yet when I took the picture, and I hadn't noticed it until later when we were at the command post reviewing the pictures. I hadn't seen anything in the room, nor did I hear or feel anything. I took several
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Case Files of the Unknown: Haunted Sites
Pictured at left are the old fire escape chutes located at the back of Louisiana Hall for the kids to slide down. During the investigation, the team used a four-camera DVR system, three Digital Audio Recorders (DARs), and a central command post.
pictures there but only one had anything of substance in it. After reviewing the picture back at the command post, Trevor and I went back to see if we could get another photo or even debunk the photo. We ruled out every condition or cause that we could. We knew it wasn't our breath since the temperatures inside the building were still warm. And it doesn't appear to be dust stirred up by us being in there. I have uploaded the picture on several paranormal forums and, thus far, it has not been debunked. At home, I examined the photo closer with a program called IrfanView. I adjusted the contrast, color, and brightness of the photo and was startled by the results. In the photo, the mist from the first photo has been cleared up by adjusting the brightness and the sort. To me, the photo now looks like someone sitting down in either a chair or pew.
Is the Trinity Institute Haunted? Back at the investigation site, we continued using different techniques and different crew members. We investigated till about 2 a.m. before packing up and leaving, giving us about eight hours of evidence per device to review. After about three weeks of careful evidence review, we didn't come up with much. The photo was the strongest piece of evidence. We did capture one EVP, but it was hard to determine if it was paranormal or not. This was back at the Louisiana Hall where I and another investigator were up on the third floor. We were sitting down on the floor in the hallway asking questions. Twice I knocked on the floor and asked for someone to finish the sequence. It was the familiar haircut and a shave routine. The first time we didn't hear anything on the recording, but the
second time there were two faint knocks heard during playback. So our final determination on the Trinity Institute is inclusive. The Louisiana Hall, which I thought would have the best results, was quiet the night we were there. The feelings I had the first time were not present the second time. The Texas Hall, which was an unexpected surprise, proved to be interesting to say the least. I would love for our group to return to the Texas Hall with the full amount of equipment we have dedicated to that one building. So in final, I can't say the place is haunted or not. We only caught one decent piece of evidence there, and it was in a building that we couldn't cover 100 percent with our equipment. Maybe 2011 will be the year we go back and find that elusive piece of evidence that will say that ghosts still walk the halls of an old college in Tehuacana, Texas.
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Case Files of the Unknown: Cryptids & Mythological Creatures
Tessie the Lake Monster
By Paul Bottini, http://zzyzxparanormal.com
W
hatever gripped the fisherman's line below the surface wasn't giving up. The frigid Northern California day didn't make this catch any easier, as the deep cold gnawed the weathered sportsman's arthritic joints. A waning Marlboro drooping from his lips, the man vowed not to relent on this one. He was gonna reel in whatever was fighting him at the other end of this line if it took all day. But that was just it. How big could this bastard be? After all, this was ten pound test, and although the man resembled Quint from Jaws, Lake Tahoe wasn't the open ocean, and whatever he'd caught wasn't a full-grown Great White. Through the haze of his bourbon breakfast, the man's rusty recall dusted off a childhood memory of epic proportions. ***** Sure, everybody had heard of "Nessie," the Loch Ness Monster of Scottish fame, but how many knew of "Tessie," the Lake Tahoe monster? The man did. In fact, he was certain he'd seen the fabled beast surface back in '56 when he was just a kid. And then there were the other reports from local inhabitants, tour-
Almost everyone's heard of "Nessie," the Loch Ness Monster of Scottish fame, but how many know of "Tessie," the Lake Tahoe monster?
ists, and even police officers. Hell, one woman's story made the headlines of the damned San Francisco Chronicle back in '84. Two female residents of Tahoe City had been hiking somewhere above the west banks of the lake, when they caught site of something large lumbering on the surface of the water. From what the man remembered, both women estimated the leviathan at close to 20 feet in length. And what of the account furnished by a pair of Reno police officers at a local bar a few years prior to that? All it took was a couple beers, and these two cops began spewin' forth details of an encounter they had with an "unusually large" creature while waterskiing back
in '82 -- June, from what the man could recollect. ***** That was just it, though. Didn't most of the sightings occur in the summer months? June, in particular? Well, this ain't June, the AARP member thought to himself. The arthritis in his hands would attest to that. It was cold. Damned cold, even for early November. The man gave one last yank on his rusty fishing pole. The line slackened. No, it didn't snap. It just stopped fighting, as if whatever was at the other end had given up or ... Anxiously, the man reeled in his catch, tales of lake beasts filling his head. He vowed to solve at least one
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of the world's great mysteries before calling it quits on this life. The "coffin nail" had long since fallen from his mouth. He hadn't noticed. Incensed, he reeled faster, as if ten pound test could ensnare a 20-foot leviathan of the deep. The line had to be reaching its end soon. After all, the man's cast wasn't what it used to be. How much longer would he have to wait? And then he saw it. Something tangible on his hook. Something fairly large, and now only 15 feet away. Not massive enough to be any lake monster, but not a fish either. The man could tell by the object's color. Flesh. As he continued to reel, his catch came into view like a single frame from a movie gaining focus. His haul was flesh-colored, all right. And there was a damned good reason for it. As the man cleared the last few feet of line, he yanked his quarry into the early morning light for a better look. The wedding ring at the base of the bloated digit still gleamed as if new. The three-fingered human hand it was attached to might have come from a freshly-drowned victim, had it not been for the obvious swelling of the appendage. Dropping his catch, the vintage fisherman crab crawled back from the severed body part. Digging into his dungarees, the man produced "liquid salvation," as he gulped
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake located along the border between California and Nevada in the Sierra Nevada range of the United States. The monstrous lake has a depth of 1,645 feet, making it the USA's second-deepest lake. Some say the lake is home to "Tahoe Tessie," a Loch Ness monster-like creature.
man recalled another local legend told all too readily about town. Not only was Lake Tahoe home to a massive beast, but the body of water was also known as the "Graveyard" among local fishermen. According to lore, depths upwards of 900 feet off the south shore became the perfect place for Mafia hit men to dispose of slain bodies between the 1920s and 1950s.
Just what is Tahoe Tessie? A prehistoric dinosaur, giant sturgeon, or something else?
heartily from a flask. A weak ray of sunlight illuminated the amputated appendage. In the early morning glow, the Because of the lake's abysmal recesses, just about anything could be hidden at its deepest points. The water's icy temperatures also created
an ideal environment for preserving flesh, indefinitely. As a result, it was theorized that hundreds of human corpses may lie in wait near the bottom of the lake, defying decay, eerily staring into the darkness. From time to time, should a cadaver dislodge, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to visualize it floating silently to the surface. In fact, the fisherman recalled the late undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau piloting one of his submersibles to the bottom of the lake back in the '70s. The man could still remember the oceanographer's reaction, verbatim, upon returning top-side from his journey into the water's depths. "The world isn't ready for what is down there," Cousteau would proclaim. The statement had given the man chills back then, and held even
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Case Files of the Unknown: Cryptids & Mythological Creatures
Could cryptids like Tahoe Tessie or the Loch Ness Monster really be giant sturgeons? The largest sturgeon ever caught was said to be 700 pounds.
deeper meaning now as he knelt before the severed hand. What could Cousteau possibly have witnessed in the blackness of Lake Tahoe that kept him from releasing a single photo from his dive? What earth-shattering spectacle would the renowned adventurer take to his grave? Did that crazy Frenchman see a massive creature down there? the fisherman pondered. Maybe an entire school of prehistoric, underwater beasts? Or was there really a vast necropolis of dead bodies anchored to the bottom of the lake, Swiss-cheesed with bullet holes, their faces writhing in eternal terror? ***** As the Sun rose and the fog dissipated, such thoughts became too much for the man. After all, he was simple. He had just come down to the water's edge to catch a little breakfast, not carry the weight of 60 years of Mafia murders or endless millennia of dinosaur reign on his shoulders. With trembling fingers, the man fired up another Marlboro, kicked the amputated hand back into the water and crept off into the woods that led to the main road.
McDonald's would be openin' soon enough, and he wouldn't have to clean and gut an Egg McMuffin, anyway. ***** The legend of Lake Tahoe's Tessie goes back to an era when local Washoe Indians inhabited the land, spinning tales of a "big fish" occupying the second-deepest lake in the Northern Hemisphere. By the 1800s, the story of the creature had taken on a sinister air, apparently attacking ships like the Governor Stanford, who reportedly lost a bowstrip to the ravenous monster back in 1883. Although reports of the massive monster persist to this day, the height of Tessie's activity came in the 1930s, when hunting parties were formed with the sole intent of catching the ultimate aquatic trophy. Modern-day sightings of the beast do include accounts from credible witnesses, such as police officer Chris Beebe, who claimed to have watched a massive creature pace a boat he was waterskiing behind. Beebe purports, "I knew that
whatever it was, it was alive, and I knew it was bigger than my boat. My immediate reaction was that I would stop moving so that I didn't lose either of my feet." The lawman insists whatever followed him was no more than six feet away and, when cresting the surface, appeared black and reminiscent of a Volkswagen Beetle. Luckily, the creature would veer from the boat, allowing Officer Beebe to emerge unharmed. Theories ranging from myth to prehistoric creatures have been offered as explanation of Tessie. Some even suggest a giant sturgeon may inhabit Lake Tahoe. Since this type of fish can live in excess of 100 years, continually growing its entire life, the latter explanation may hold some validity. After all, a 22-footlong sturgeon weighing well over 2,000 pounds was found in Sacramento River at one point. Whatever Tessie may be, there's no denying that Lake Tahoe is seeded in mystery. From unplumbed depths, to Mafia graveyards, to sea creatures that defy logic, the enigmas of this body of water continue to intrigue to this very day.
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100 Years After a Devastating Avalanche Took Their Lives, the "Spirits" of Wellington, Washington, Still Remain. Read One Investigator's Account of How She Met . . . "The Ghosts of Wellington."
Book Now Available Online at February 2011 Paranormal Underground www.avalancheofspirits.com
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Personal Experiences: Ghost Hunter Case Files
The Moore Family Haunting
By Joseph Gallant, Paranormal Researchers Of Odd Findings
I
n the early winter months of 1999, the Moore family purchased what they initially thought would be a great starting point for their growing family. The historic, seven-bedroom colonial mansion that sat on 10 acres of wooded land sold for an astonishing $60,000 dollars. The Moore family pondered the obvious question: Why so cheap? Could something have taken place in the home or on the property that perhaps could have decreased the selling price value? The county real estate agent informed the Moore family that there was very little information about the property's history in their documents. Mrs. Moore and family decided to forget the past and move forward with the future, buying the historic home in late-December 1999. A Home Remodel Stirs Up Trouble About two years later, in January 2002, the Moore family began renovating the home's interior, as it was out of date and ridged inside. Two months into renovations, the Moore family began experiencing strange occurrences throughout their home. The homeowner and her two children told tales of being woken up at all hours of the night from night terrors. They also had such violent and vivid dreams that they prevented the family from sleeping for two or three days at a time. The more work that was done to the home's interior, the more frequent and disturbing the night terrors became. The Moore family explained an incident where they were awoken at 2:22 a.m. and witnessed what appeared to be a tall, dark man standing at the foot of their bed, who then mysteriously vanished.
Joseph Gallant, founder of Paranormal Researchers Of Odd Findings (P.R.O.O.F.), recently concluded a demonic case that left him with a new perspective concerning the paranormal and its diverse complexities. Pictured at left, Joseph believes he captured an image of a male entity through the window pane.
Out of pure fear, the Moore family sought out answers to what, if anything, was haunting their home. Mrs. Moore's curiosity sent her digging through local newspapers to see if there was anything that would provide her with answers. After weeks of researching and coming up with nothing, Mrs. Moore came across an article written five years before her purchase of the home that seemed to explain everything. The article read that the house on
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Stafford Road was the one-time home of the superintendent of the Mansfield Training School, a hospital for the feeble-minded and insane. Mrs. Moore read article after article that talked about the abuse of patients at the facility. The family stopped the renovations and let things calm down for a while until a resolution could be devised. Nearly four years passed with very little incident. That was until December 2008, when John Hevic, an electrician was phoned to the residence in order to fix the furnace, which had stopped working. The electrician was in the basement for around 10 minutes before running out of the house, leaving all of his equipment behind. Mr. Hevic complained that he was pushed to the floor by something that he couldn't see or hear. Evidently, whatever was there before was back. The house began to feel dreadful again and the activity became increasingly productive. Mrs. Moore stated an incident where she had been sleeping and was awakened by the feeling of someone holding her hand. This was followed by a deep growl in her right ear. This, of course, was the end of what the family was willing to withstand. There was something evil present in the home, and there was very little Mrs. Moore could do to protect her family. She had enough, and so the Moore Family began their search for someone who could provide them with the protection and guidance they so desperately needed. The Call At 1:34 p.m. on Monday, February 9, 2009, P.R.O.O.F. received the following call: Joseph: Hello, this is Joseph with P.R.O.O.F. Mrs. Moore: Yes hello. My name is Amy Moore, and I was referred to your organization by a friend. Joseph: Yes, of course Mrs.
In December 2008, electrician John Hevic visited the Moore family home. While fixing a furnace in the basement, Hevic said that he was pushed to the floor by something that he couldn't see or hear. In the picture above, P.R.O.O.F. investigator Joseph Gallant believes the team captured the image of a male entity.
Moore. Believe it or not, I have been expecting your call. Mrs. Moore: Joseph, I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear you say that! Joseph: Amy, tell me a little bit of what's been going on from within your residence. Mrs. Moore: I know after we have spoken, you'll hang up and think, damn, this woman's crazy, but there's something evil in my house, and I fear for the safety of myself and my children. Joseph, I'm scared. Joseph: Mrs. Moore, listen, I've been studying and investigating paranormal and demonic phenomena for almost eight years now. And in my years in this field, the first thing that someone says to me that's dealing with a haunting is, "You're going to think I'm crazy." The fact of the matter is Mrs. Moore, you're not crazy. If anything, you're brave, and you've just taken the first step in getting the help you need. Mrs. Moore: Does this mean that you will help me?
Joseph: Yes, of course. Let's set a date to meet and talk about what exactly is occurring from within your home, and what services we can provide to you and your family. The Interview On Thursday February 19, Amanda, P.R.O.O.F.'s executive director, and I arrived at the house on Stafford Road. We were graciously greeted and welcomed into the Moore family home. Following introductions, Mrs. Moore provided Amanda and I with a guided tour of the home, specifically talking about the paranormal significance in each area of the dwelling. Our last stop before the conclusion of the tour was a brief visit to the attic, which might I point out was probably the most uncomfortable and unsettling area of the house. Mrs. Moore explained incident after incident of what had taken place over the past several years. Amanda and I began the P.R.O.O.F. pre-
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Personal Experiences: Ghost Hunter Case Files
Pictured at right are the horrible scratches that Joseph received while performing a banishing ritual inside the Moore family home. He believed he was attacked by a demonic entity. Joseph required 48 stitches after the incident.
consultation, with a series of questions about the family, the residence, and the alleged activity. We then asked the Moore's what exactly they anticipated coming out of our investigation? Mrs. Moore abruptly responded, "I want whatever is here gone!" The Investigation Night 1: P.R.O.O.F. arrived at the Moore family residence on February 26, 2009, exactly one week following our Pre-consultation interview. On the way to the residence, the night skies seemed abnormally dark and overcrowded with the sensations of fear and resentment. Due to previous incidents and the Moore family's statements of feeling unsafe, P.R.O.O.F. requested that the family be placed in a locale near the home to prevent any further trauma that might arise during the investigative process. I gathered my team of six investigators and began the investigation with a tour of the home and a 30-minute briefing. The next step began when the team set up all of the monitoring and surveillance equipment. The house was wired with cameras and video feeds, all of which we anticipated would provide us with some sort of
answer throughout our 48-hour stay. I decided that due to the family's claims of such extreme and sometimes dangerous activity, investigators would be paired in teams of two per floor inside the home. After our teams were set up and assigned to our designated posts, P.R.O.O.F. investigators began the investigative process with its Interpersonal Approach (I.P.A.). They made sure that whomever or whatever was within the Moore family home was aware of their presence, and furthermore that they wanted to make them feel comfortable interacting with the investigators. Forty-five minutes into the I.P.A. phase, Amanda radioed base complaining that she had been witness to a tall, full-body, shadowed silhouette of a man walking from one room to another in the attic area of the home. I was the first to respond to Amanda's radio transmission. Amanda explained that she was just finishing up with the I.P.A. phase, when she looked to her left and witnessed a shadowed figure walking from the storage room and into the third floor bathroom. "I didn't feel the least bit unsafe or threatened by this figure; it merely passed by me," Amanda recalled after the incident. Following Amanda's testimony
concerning what she had witnessed on the third floor, I assigned two additional investigators with infrared cameras to monitor the area on a continual basis. The additional three investigators, including myself, began the silent phase, followed by the group phase, with little activity to report. Seven hours had passed since we begun the investigation, and a briefing and break was in store. During our briefing, investigators Ruben and Patricia reported having the feeling of being watched and followed from room to room. I on the other hand had nothing to report: no sightings, no strange noises, nothing at all. I admit I was a tad bit jealous that everyone around me had experienced something, whether big or small, yet I was also happy to hear that the phenomena was active. The remainder of the evening was quiet. There were no further reports of anything out of the ordinary and everyone was ready to settle down and get some rest. We decided to sleep inside the house to see if we experienced any of the night terrors that the Moore family reported having. Night 2: It was 9:00 a.m. on February 27th, and everyone was up and ready to begin the second and final day of our investigation. The air was damp, and the house was unsettlingly still. I
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began our session by asking everyone how they had slept, inquiring whether or not anyone had any night terrors or experienced anything unusual. Patricia reported waking up in the middle of the night after having a nightmare wherein she had killed everyone in the house. "I tried to stop myself, but I felt as though that it was my duty, my duty to kill," Patricia reported. Patricia's nightmare caught me off guard. I was unsure of what to think, seeing that the Moore family reported having similar dreams a week earlier. Patricia pulled me aside and requested that she be removed from the Stafford Road case as she no longer felt safe. Patricia's request was granted, and the team agreed that no one would be sleeping in the home for the remainder of the investigation. We also decided that it would be wise to rearrange the surveillance. That way we could be sure to cover every inch of the dwelling. I didn't want to miss anything; if something was going to happen, I wanted to be there to capture it. We spent a good portion of the morning and afternoon monitoring the surveillance feeds and conducting periodic sweeps of the home's interior. As dusk approached, we prepared ourselves for what we anticipated would be an eventful evening. The lights and power were shutdown, and each investigator began the investigation with the EVP phase and spirit photography phase. Things were abnormally quiet, similar to a ticking bomb just waiting for the right time to explode. Suddenly, a camera was forcibly knocked to the floor. Luckily for us, the activity was recorded by our surveillance cameras. In addition, I along with two other investigators witnessed what appeared to be a black shadow pass by us wearing a hooded sweatshirt. "Wait," said Amanda, "did you
see what I saw?" "Of course," I replied, "how exciting!" Dawn was approaching and the activity had diminished greatly as time moved forward -- 8:00 a.m. approached quickly, and although we were sad to have to pack up and leave, we were eager to get home and review our evidence. The Reveal Two weeks had passed since our investigation of the Moore family dwelling, and we were ready to provide our findings to the family. P.R.O.O.F. was at an advantage to provide the Moore's with not only an answer as to what was haunting their home, but additionally a resolution to the so-called phenomena. The reveal began with me explaining what exactly inhabited the Moore family residence. P.R.O.O.F. explained that evidence collected throughout the investigation had indicated that the home's spiritual
inhabitants were of both residual energy and intelligent energy types. Mrs. Moore was informed that these types of spirits are typically non-harmful and non-threatening in nature, and that there was no reason to be afraid or to feel unsafe in the home. I advised the Moore family that these particular entities simply want to be acknowledged and that it would be a positive avenue to initiate contact. P.R.O.O.F. provided a slideshow of photographs and collected EVPs, none of which provided evidence of a demonic or diabolical presence. Regardless of the findings, Mrs. Moore insisted that P.R.O.O.F. conduct a banishing ritual to get rid of anything in the home, regardless of the entities nature or intent. The Banishing On March 2, 2009, I pulled up to the Moore family residence prepared for the banishing ritual. As it is a P.R.O.O.F. policy, only a certified parapsychologist may conduct these
In sharing the Moore family haunting with readers, Joseph hopes to provide evidence that the paranormal is not a game, nor is it always a pleasant experience. Pictured above, Joseph believes the team captured an apparition while investigating.
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Personal Experiences: Ghost Hunter Case Files
the Moore family and explained everything that had taken place during my visit. I had advised Mrs. Moore that whatever was in her home was gone. "Where do you think the entities went," asked Mrs. Moore? "They've attached themselves to me," I replied. Case Conclusion I will be the first to admit that when it concerns the Moore family residence and it's haunting, I was wrong. Originally, the home did not present any of the classical signs of there being a demonic or diabolical haunting inside. However, when coming face to face with it in my most vulnerable state, I can now say that what had plagued the Moore family was without a doubt a demon. The Moore family has not had any reoccurring paranormal activity within the home since the banishing was conducted. Every six months, P.R.O.O.F. reviews the Moore family case and conducts a biannual visit to the Moore residence, assuring that everything is as it should be. Evidence Class A EVPs: � Male: "I let the children burn." � Female: "You're not going to catch me." � Male: "Wish you with us." � Multiple: "Help us, help us." � Male: "Fuck you, cunt, bitch, whore, burn." � Male "She got fucked again." Class B EVP: � Male: "Get out," and "Get out of here." Spirit Photography: � Two full-body apparitions � Three partial-body apparitions. � Video of camera being thrown off dresser. � Orbs, ectoplasm, and one spiritual vortex. � Demonic attack.
Pictured above, Joseph believes the team captured a Class A orb during their investigation of the Moore family home.
sorts of rituals, so I was on my own. As soon as the Moore family ventured off, I prepared my materials and began. I started with the lower lever of the home, walking through each room, chanting, praying, and demanding the entities to leave the dwelling. I finished the first floor and moved on to the second. I eventually headed to the attic. Upon leaving the third-floor area, I got a feeling that I was no longer on my own and that someone was there with me. I began to feel overly anxious and had some difficulty taking a full breath. There was an awful smell that followed these feelings of fear and anxiety -- a smell that could only be described as rotting flesh. Usually when this occurs, it's never a good sign, and I would generally take a few minutes to myself and regroup, only to return when I felt safe again. However, I did not want to interrupt my progress, so I continued with the banishing, ignoring anything in between. Ordinarily, I would have began the ritual in the basement and worked
my way up; however, I intentionally saved the basement for last, as it creeped me out. I opened the hatchway, which led to the dirt cellar, and proceeded through without any incident. I had reached the second post in the cellar and suddenly froze; it felt as if someone was holding me down. Without any warning, I felt a hot, burning sensation in the center of my back, moving its way upward toward my neck, as if someone had taken a hot coal and dragged it against my skin. The burning sensation felt like it lasted forever, but it only lasted a moment. Without hesitation, I immediately ran upstairs and into the bathroom to see what the burning sensation could have been. I was shocked to find several lashes running from side to side and into the center of my back. Never having experienced something to this extreme, I was completely beside myself and downright terrified. I finished the ritual and got out of the house as fast as I could. Upon reaching a safe place, I listened to the recordings I had taken during the banishing ritual. I contacted
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February 2011 Paranormal Underground 33
Personal Experiences
Tales From The haunTed heaThman hoTel
By roB sT.helen, WesT CoasT GhosT hunTers
G
eorge L. Baker, or "Our George" as he was known in Portland, Oregon, in the late-20s early 30s, was Portland's mayor from 1917 until 1933. A member of around 37 fraternal societies, Baker used these societies to aid him in his political ambitions. A side effect of these connections was that they also linked the mayor to the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), a bigoted organization which, at the time, was very powerful. I was at a convention last year in Mt. Hood (Oregon) and met up with a gentleman who knows a bit about the history of all the old hotels. We started talking, and he told me about Mr. George L. Baker and the possibilities of his being tied to the KKK. After a while, we went our separate ways and finished out the day. A few days later, I went back to work and decided to try to get things kicked up a bit "spirit wise.: As I was sitting in our tea court, I decided to "call out" to Mr. Baker by saying some rather rude comments that the KKK would not like (enough said on that). After about 15 to 20 minutes of talking, the room started to feel different. The air got really heavy with a musty smell to it, and what was a normally quite tea court started to come alive with knocks and shadows on the second floor. ***** The next night, some team members of mine from West Coast Ghost Hunters came in. I hadn't told them anything about my experiences from
Pictured above at left is the area where the spirit of Mr. Baker reportedly likes to pace back and forth. This is where Rob had trouble catching his breath. Above at right is the tenth floor where Rob saw a black mist blocking the window at the end of the hall.
the prior night. We were sitting there, and a team member (William) told me that he felt a presence pacing back and forth on the second floor by the meeting rooms. He told me that the presence was very upset at someone. I asked William if he could get a name or a letter, and he replied, "It starts with an "R." (My name is Rob.) After William told me that, I told him what I had done the night before. After much chastising, William told me to go up on the walkway and apologize, but I chose not to at that time. By this time it was late, the team had left, and I had to get back to work, mainly picking up breakfast orders, delivering papers, and so on. As I was on the tenth floor, I noticed that the window at the end of the hall was completely blacked out. This was very strange, as nothing blocks the window. I can normally look
out and see down Broadway Street to a great distance. I continued to walk toward the window picking up speed. As I got about 15 yards from it, the black mist disappeared. I continued to walk toward it. As I walked by a locked door that leads to the roof, I got a single smack upon the door, as if someone had smacked the door with their hand. I used my keys to open the door, only to find that no one was there. I did go up on the walkway the next night and apologized. Everything seemed to calm down, with the sense of heaviness lifting and the musty smell dissipating. The only thing that was still affecting me was the fact that for about a month or so longer, every time I would walk up toward the meeting rooms where Baker likes to be, I wouldn't be able to catch my breath at all. Now, even that has stopped.
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Irrevocably Evil: A very dark collection of horror stories for young adults
Enter a world that is Irrevocably Evil. Within the pages of this book, you will find 13 cutting edge tales of terror.
In "Three Wishes," a boy's excitement of finding a leprechaun's gold soon has him wishing he had never found it. "Chasing Dawn" chronicles an ancient vampire's burning desire to find a soul mate. In "False Reading," a carnival psychic, unfortunately for him, isn't as good as he advertises. Take a trip to the dark side with these masterfully creepy stories, and don't worry -- you won't be alone along the way. All things evil will keep you company.
http://www.amazon.com/Irrevocably-Evil-collection-horror-stories/ dp/1453801383/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1297301660&sr=1-1 February 2011 Paranormal Underground 35
For more information, visit
Reader Profile
(Forum Name: Drake)
About DJ
Age: 38. Born/Currently Resides: Yorkshire, England/At the foot of the Rockies, USA. Status: Married. Education: I studied economics, computer science, and history at a college in England after leaving school. Zodiac Sign: Capricorn with the traditional dates, Sagittarius with the new. Occupation: I'm currently living a promise I made to myself numerous years ago to spend my first few years of fatherhood as a full-time dad. Previous to this, I had run an IT company for many years before handing the reins to my business partner. I am now planning a totally different career, as I had worked in IT for almost 20 years and fancy a change.
Originally born in Yorkshire, England, DJ is both a skeptic and a believer in the paranormal.
DJ Kemp
I will get it finished this year.
Q: Are you a skeptic or believer? DJ: I'm both. I hesitate to use the term "skeptical believer," though that seems to be common nowadays. I do believe in many areas of the supernatural and paranormal 100%. However, I find I am skeptical of most reported experiences by default -- even my own experiences! I guess I could sum myself up by saying that I believe in the paranormal in some abstract way wholeheartedly, but it takes a lot of convincing me that a particular event or experience has paranormal elements. Q: What areas of the paranormal interest you the most? DJ: I am interested primarily in what happens after mortal death. Anything involving spirits and ghosts interests me; i.e., interactive hauntings or experiences, psychic impressions or environmental recordings at locations, what happens to us between lives, reincarnation, past-lives, EVPs and visual recordings of apparitions. Q: Talk about any paranormal experiences you've had. DJ: I have had two notable potentially ghostly experiences about 25 years apart, as well as several somewhat less remarkable experiences in other areas that could be construed as having supernatural elements. One experience happened when I was about seven, when I saw someone in my room that logic dictated could not be there.
Q&A
Q: How would you describe yourself? DJ: I am ambitious and self-motivated but get frustrated by my failings. I hate not knowing things, so I tend to overwhelm myself through information-overload when researching various subjects. I also tend to overplan and micro-manage my goals and aspirations instead of devoting that time toward actually achieving them. Apparently, I'm quite self-critical too. Q: Tell us about your family and what you like to do.
DJ: I married my American wife three years ago after first getting to know her in the mid-90s when she was at University. We lost touch for several years before rekindling our relationship and now have two beautiful children together. We love to take family road trips when possible and visit as much of the USA as we are able -- we still have about half the States to explore. My wife and I both love live events too -- comedians, music, etc., and like to have date-nights on the rare occasion that it's possible to take in a show. Q: What would our readers be surprised to find out about you? DJ: For the past six months, I've been planning and writing a full-length novel in my spare time. I frequently break off for weeks at a time to concentrate on other smaller projects, but
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Earlier events I subsequently found out about and later events I was informed of suggested I did see someone that night several years after his death. My other significant experience happened only five years ago when I saw something in my house shortly after a tragic event. Both events affected me in different ways. My first encounter probably sparked a lifelong interest in the paranormal for me. My second experience lent a lot more weight to the beliefs I hold and also made me seriously consider my previously skeptical nature toward some who claim to have clairvoyant abilities.
Q: Who are your heroes? DJ: I have two heroes. One is Carl Sagan, who really broadened my mind through his books and "Cosmos" show. I'm hoping that the charismatic Prof. Brian Cox can ignite the same sense of wonder and awe at the universe in current and future generations that Sagan was able to before his death. My other hero is Lucas Radebe. He is a South African retired soccer player who has an incredible life story. I met him in 2008 whilst I was in the UK for a month. I chatted with him for about 30 minutes, and that day was one of the most joyous in my life. Q: What are your favorite books, movies, TV shows, and paranormal shows? DJ: I'm a voracious reader. The past few years, in particular, I have read a lot of paranormal-based non-fiction, as well as some fiction. Hans Holzer, Brad Steiger, Peter Underwood, and Jenny Randles are prominent "nonfiction" paranormal authors whose work I have found informative and useful in my research. Today, I'm reading Haunting Experiences by Michelle Belanger that I am enjoying a lot. With regard to fiction, Dean Koontz is a particular
favorite. I also enjoy the work of many late-19th and early 20th Century authors that specialized in the supernatural, such as M.R. James, Ambrose Bierce, Algernon Blackwood, and, of course, H.P. Lovecraft. I must mention Bill Bryson's books too -- primarily his exceptionally funny travel-logs, but also his non-fiction works. As far as TV or movies, I currently enjoy The Event, Castle, and Warehouse 13. The Biggest Loser is my Reality TV guilty pleasure too. Long-time favorite shows of mine include Buffy/ Angel, Twin Peaks, Due South, and Firefly. Favorite movies include The Third Man, Magnolia, Withnail and I, Run Lola Run, and Amelie. I try to watch as many paranormal shows as I can. My Ghost Story is a particular favorite in recent years, as the stories are usually well presented and backed up with real video and audio footage. I also enjoy Celebrity Ghost Stories, Ghost- Lab, Psychic Kids, and A Haunting.
much lesser extent, bad drivers.
Q: What do you think happens to us when we die? DJ: I think there's a certain poetry in believing that whatever selfawareness or soul inhabits our body during our life could have existed before our birth and will continue after the death of our current bodies in a cyclical nature. I don't believe all traditional hauntings are perpetrated by conscious spirits. I believe that some are a psychic impression, a visual, (and sometimes audible) memory impressed into the environment or place with no conscious intelligence remaining long after the soul/spirit, has passed into the unknown to eventually restart the cycle of existence. I think most hauntings that persist for many years would fall into this category and that ghosts who exhibit consciousness and intelligence are only with us briefly before crossing over. These seemingly less common "interactive" hauntings, where ghosts communicate with the living or offer verifiable information, are vastly more interesting to me. Such encounters support the belief in the survival of our spiritual self, as well as perhaps our memories and personality after death, and are therefore very appealing to me. Q: Any words of wisdom? DJ: "Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." -- James Dean. Q: Any exciting plans for the future? DJ: I'm excited to finish my novel. I'd also like to take my wife and children on a trip to England at some point, as they've never been. I'm really looking forward to my children meeting their great-grandfather there too.
Q: Favorite music? DJ: I have an eclectic taste in music. I still like some English Goth music from the '80s -- The Sisters of Mercy, The Cure, The Cult, Siouxsie and the Banshees, etc. I also like a lot of singer-songwriter music, such as Jewel, Tori Amos, KT Tunstall, etc. Triphop, such as Massive Attack, Portishead, Morcheeba, and early Sneaker Pimps are always on my playlist. Bands such as The Killers, Counting Crows, Hootie and the Blowfish, and The Kaiser Chiefs get a lot of play too. I also like some Country, such as Dixie Chicks, Johnny Cash, Kasey Chambers, and Darius Rucker. Q: What are your pet peeves? DJ: I dislike when people are intolerant of others because of their religion, absence of religion, sexual orientation, or gender. Live and let live. To a
February 2011
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Review of the Month
Paranormal Technology: Understanding the Science of Ghost Hunting
Book Written By David M. Rountree
Review by Robb Demarest
I
t is probably best to start with who this book is NOT for. It is not for people who are looking for a creepy and/or spooky read. It is not for people who feel that ghost hunting is already at the forefront of scientific research. So, this begs the question of who this book is for. The answer is: Everybody else. Even with that being said, I would be remiss if I did not issue the following warning: There is a very real and serious chance that this book will make your brain hurt. David M. Rountree, the author of Paranormal Technology: Understanding the Science of Ghost Hunting, has done a fine job bringing the subject matter of paranormal technology into the realm of the individual who doesn't have a doctorate in quantum mathematics, but it is still a challenging read. There were a few times during my reading when I looked up, shook my fist at the book, and yelled with a mighty fury, "Numbers bad!" The good news is that the challenge is well worth it. This book covers everything from the nature and origins of the EVP, the massive potential hazards of ITC, how to introduce the scientific method into your investigations, right down to how to finally settle the orb debate for yourself. Another key element that really brought the book to life is that Rountree doesn't just tell you, for example, to go buy a carbon dioxide detector.
He tells you which brands are the best and why, where you can find them, and how much you can expect to play. This is the kind of advice that can improve your investigations instantly. This do-it-yourself help also expands into giving you ideas (complete with plans) for new equipment that Rountree and his team have developed. This is quite a different approach to some teams that boast about their new "Ghost Catcher
3000," but never give any details. This is also what sets the book apart. Rountree clearly wants paranormal research to be taken seriously, he wants your help, and he is going to share everything he has in his extensive years of experience to accomplish this goal. Please don't let the difficulty level of this book dissuade you from reading it. Yes, this is far from EMF Meters for Dummies, but if I can make it through this book, you can make it through it too. I would like to leave you with this promise (and not a late-night TV promise ... stupid "Instant Abs"!): This book will make you a much better paranormal investigator than you were before you started reading it. So, take your vitamins, strap yourself in, and dive into Paranormal Technology: Understanding the Science of Ghost Hunting. The book can be found at: http://spinvestigations.org/Paranormal_Technology.html.
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